Chains Were Her Prison

I was just a girl, and I had always
been toldnot to go near the Collie who was tied
to a poleshe lived two houses down, this
"forgotten" dogout in the heat, the rain, and the
cold, cold fog

I passed her each day when I'd walk to
schooland she was always alone, so I broke
that rulelike the Lassie on TV, she was
beautiful to mebut as I drew nearer, her fear was
easy to see

So I held out my hand, allowing her to
catch my scentthere was pain in her face, hurting me
was not her intentbut when I reached her, uncertainty
flashed in her eyes and she bitAs pain blossomed in my palm, my knees
buckled and I had to sit

From up against the garage wall I
shakily slid to the dirtcradling my hand I shook my head,
crying freely at the hurtnot from her bite to my palm, but the
pain that etched her facewhen I had looked up at her and she
slowly met my gaze

Her expression said, I'm sorry!
Perhaps in a another time and placeWe might have been
friends, or even
family... and seen love in each others faceI can only dream
of the prospects a
different life may have yielded?Like running
side-by-side, on a
summer's eve, in a lush green-carpeted field

But, none of those things were meant
for herShe was a prisoner there, that was
plain to seeA chain 'round her neck, and dust in
her once pretty furSo I turned and ran home, all the
while wishingthat I could have set the "forgotten"
girl free...

Copyright 2007 Kathy Pippig Harris

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~* To learn more about the plight of these dogs and how you
might help, click on the links below. *~